Sport | Motorsport
Zoechling left struggling due to lack of support from sponsors
One of the most promising young drivers to come out from the UAE is ruing the lack of sponsorship support for drivers.
- By Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter
- Published: 00:04 May 30, 2008
- Christopher Zoechling, the UAE's 2004 Karting Champion, is looking for a sponsor.
- Image Credit: Supplied picture
Dubai: One of the most promising young drivers to come out from the UAE is ruing the lack of sponsorship support for drivers.
"I've tried to get sponsors to fund my racing programme and it has been the toughest in the UAE," Christopher Zoechling, the UAE's 2004 Karting Champion told Gulf News.
"I would have definitely expected more from companies in the UAE given the infrastructure and willingness. But unfortunately, this has not happened and I left struggling," added the Austrian national.
Zoechling is back from the US after racing in the second round of the Champ Car Atlantics Championship held in Monteray, Laguna Seca, California.
The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda is a formula racing series with races throughout North America, including Mexico and Canada.
Quit
It is often colloquially referred to as the Atlantic Championship, Champ Car Atlantics (after its former name), Toyota Atlantics (due to the series' previous history of using Toyota-powered engines), or just Atlantics.
The series used to be sanctioned by the Champ Car World Series before that series ceased operations in 2008, with most of its races being support races for the Champ Car World Series.
After participating in just one of the two rounds held on the 13-race calendar, Zoechling is placed eighth overall after he collected 10 points with a 12th place finish last weekend.
And that included a bonus point for being the most improved driver during the race. "Racing has been good though it is a brand new experience for me. But my one constant worry is the sponsors," admitted the 20-year-old. After being crowned the UAE Karting Champion in 2004, Zoechling moved on to Europe for a year in the Formula Renault 2.0 Championships followed by a stint in the Asian Formula Renault Championships where he finished runner-up in 2006.
Last season, after his sponsors quit, Zoechling got an opportunity to test a factory Porsche for an endurance team from Germany.
At the same time he tested for the Champ Car Atlantics Championship in Texas and California.
"I see myself on this championship till 2009," Zoechling stated. And then it will be time for me to graduate to the Champ Car World Series, provided I manage to find the sponsors," he said.
Factfile
- Name: Christopher Zoechling
- Date of birth: February 26, 2008
- Born in: Austria
- 2004: UAE National Karting Champion
- 2005: European Formula Renault 2.0 Championship
- 2006: Asian Formula Renault Championship
- 2007: Testing for Porsche endurance team in Germany
- Testing for Champ Car Atlantics Championship in North America
- 2008: Participating in the Champ Car Atlantics Championship in North America with the Paladin Motorsport Team owned by an American and Iranian.
- Website: www.zoechling-motorsport.at
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